Container control mechanism



' Filed April 26 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. JOHN W THoMAs.

ATTO NEY.

y 28, 1940. J. w. THOMAS 2,202,640

CONTAINER CONTROL MECHANISM Filed April 26, 1938 2 Shbets-Sheet 2 A TTL )RN E Y.

Patented May 28, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTAINER CONTROL MECHANISM John W. Thomas, New Kensington, Pa., assignor to Aluminum Company of America, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 26, 1938, Serial No. 204,376

6 Claims. (Cl. 19822) This invention relates to a device for governa suitable sealing head (not shown), the guide ing and controlling the advance of articles, such I9 disposed angularly across the circular path, as containers, for example, by a conveyor, and serves to disengage the sealed container from relates particularly to that class of devices charthe star wheel. The succeeding containers folacterized by arm-like means, normally projectlowing a like course discharge the preceding coning into the path of travel of articles to arrest tainers along the path defined by the guide I 9 and control the forward movement thereof. and companion guide 20.

It is an object of this invention to provide The feed timing device l3, shown to advanimproved and effective means to control the feedtage in Figs 1, 2, and 3, is provided with a 10 ing of articles in timed relationship with the opbracket-like housing 2| conveniently attached to 10 eration of an associated machine. It is also an the sealing machine H, so that it overhangs the object to provide an automatic device that is cadisc l2. Gate member 22, pivotally secured to the pable of operation at any rate required by the housing by a threaded stud 23, has a forwardly rate of operation of the associated machine, and disposed arm 24 of sufficient size to extend into this regardless of the direction of feed to the the path of travel of the containers and arrest 15 machine. It is a further object to provide a dethe movement thereof when maintained in vice to control the admission of random-fed conlatched position, and a rearwardly and prefer tainers to machines, such as filling, sealing and ably radially disposed shoulder 25. A gate latch labelling machines, and the like. Still another 26, which is preferably substantially U-shaped,

2o object is the provision of a device characterized is pivotally secured to the housing 2| by a by few moving parts so actuated that it is parthreaded stud 21 in such a manner that an end ticularly adapted to function without failure having a shoulder 28 can hook over and engage under the service conditions common to autothe gate shoulder when the gate arm 24 is in matic container filling, sealing and labelling container-restraining position, as shown in Fig. 1.

:5 equipment. A spring 29 is suitably joined to both the gate 25 These and other objects of the invention will 22 and the gate latch 26 to exert a force conbe apparent to one skilled in the art from the stantly tending to maintain those two parts in following description of the accompanying drawposition of engagement determined respectively ings illustrating an embodiment of the invention therefor by the housing stop 30 and screw 3|.

:3) in operative relationship with a container sealing Positive latching of the gate 22 is accomplished, 30

machine, and in which: however, by disposition of the latch shoulder 28,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an embodiment and the when in engagement with the gate shoulder 25, attendant container-conveying mechanism of a so that the latch 26 forms an abutment immovsealing machine, with the sea-ling head removed; able by the force exerted against the gate arm I 3 Fig. 2 is a plan view of the embodiment of 24 by the arrested containers. Thus in-feed Fig. 1, showing the several parts during in-feed movement of the gate 22 is positively restrained of a container; by the latch shoulder until it is withdrawn.

Fig. '3 is a sectional view taken on the line A triangular cam 32 is positioned between the III-III of Fig. 2; and gate 22 and gate latch 26, for which a rounded Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line end of the adjustable screw 33 carried by the 40 IV-IV of Fig. 3. latch between its axis of rotation and the latch With reference now to Fig. 1, containers I0, shoulder 28 serves as a cam follower. As shown such as bottles or the like, are conveyed in any to advantage in Figs. 3 and 4, the cam shank 34 suitable manner to a sealing machine, designated is suitably secured to the hub 35 of the flanged generally by the reference numeral H. Formember 36 journalled in the housing 2|. The 45 ward movement of the containers upon a driven flanged member 36 is provided with elongated disc I2 is controlled by the feed timing device, slots 31 through which suitable means, such as identified generally by the reference numeral l3, cap screws 38, extend to secure it and the disc and the adjustable guide I4. The star wheel l5, l2 to a second flanged member 39 coaxially there- 0 suitably secured to a driven vertical shaft 16, w and With the shaft 'Whlchthe 50 removes a container from the disc once it has her 39 is suitably attached so that the disc l2 been admitted by the timing device i3. The star and cam 32 are driven directly by the shaft 49. wheel propels the container around the sealing The operation of the feed timing device folplatform ll in a circular path partially defined lows. As shown in Fig. 1, rotation of the disc by the guide l8. After a container is sealed by l2 carries a container ill to and forces it against 55 the projecting arm 24 of the gate 22, which is positively secured by engagement of the gate shoulder 25 and the end shoulder 28 of the gate .latch 26. As shown in Fig. 2 rotation of the cam 32 to bring an actuating portion thereof against the follower '33 oscillates the gate latch 26 far enough to release the gate 22. The forward pressure of the container against the gate arm 24 is sufficient to overcome the opposing force exerted by the spring 29 so that in-feed movement of the gate takes place. As shown in Fig. 2, the gate arm 24 rides against the advancin container until it is free thereof, whereupon it is returned by the spring 29 to its arresting position, indicated by broken lines, before the admission of another container and secured by the gate latch 26 which is likewise returned to its initial position by the spring 29.

Thecam shaft 40 is driven in any well-known manner at the same rate as the three-arm star wheel l5, with which the operation of the sealing head (not shown) is timed, as is well known in the art. The triangular cam 32 consequently throws the gate latch 26 and releases the gate 22 the same number of times per revolution that star wheel arms pass the disc per revolution of the star wheel. Exact timing of the cam action to release the gate with the passage of a star wheel arm is obtained by rotational adjustment of the cam 32 and flanged member 36 made possible by the slots 31. With respect to the cam action, it is to be noted that the shape of the cam 32 is dependent upon the in-feed requirements of the associated mechanism and the rate at which the cam can be conveniently driven in any given installation to produce the desired synchronism, and is, therefore, a matter of choice.

From the foregoing description it should be apparent that the device of my invention is suitable for use with either left or right hand feed machines of widely varying types, and also that its few and compactly arranged parts are capable of operation at any desired speed with little lost motion and stress. The advantages of such properties and characteristics are obvious in connection with the speeds at which modern packaging equipment is operated.

Thus, having provided a full and adequate description of an embodiment of my invention, and with the intent to include all embodiments and modifications coming within the true boundaries of the invention, I claim:

1. A device for controlling the movement of containers by a conveyor comprising arcuately movable container arresting means normally projecting into the path of container travel and movable from said path by container pressure; arcuately movable means for positively securing said arresting means in said projecting position by engagement therewith, resilient means connecting said arresting means to said securing means and opposing disengagement thereof, and rotatable means for disengaging said arresting means and said securing means to permit movement of said arresting means from said container path at predetermined intervals.

2. A device for controlling the movement of containers by a conveyor comprising arcuately movable container arresting means normally projecting into the path of container travel and movable from said path by container pressure, an arcuately movable abutment member for positively securing said arresting means in said projecting position by engagement therewith, resilient means connecting said arresting means to said abutment member and opposing disengagement thereof, and rotatable means disposed between said arresting means and the pivotal axis of said abutment member and adjoining said latter member for periodically moving said abutment from engagement with said arresting means to permit movement of said arresting means from said container path at predetermined intervals.

3. A device for controlling the movement of containers by a conveyor comprising an oscillatable gate normally projecting into the path of container travel and movable from said path by container pressure, an oscillatable abutment for positively securing said gate in said projecting position by engagement therewith, a spring connected to both said gate and said abutment and opposing disengagement thereof, and a rotatable cam disposed between said gate and the pivotal axis of said abutment to withdraw said abutment from said gate to permit movement of said gate from said container path at predetermined intervals.

4. A device for controlling the movement of containers by a conveyor comprising an arcuately movable gate normally projecting into the path of container travel and movable from said path by container pressure, said gate having a'rearwardly disposed shoulder, an arcuately movable latch having a shoulder adapted to positively secure said gate in said projecting position by engagement with said gate shoulder, resilient means connecting said gate to said latch and opposing disengagement thereof, and a rotatable cam adjoining said latch and adapted to move said latch from engagement with said gate at predetermined intervals to permit movement of a container past said gate during each period .of disengagement.

5. In a machine having means for conveying containers and means adapted to receive containers from said conveying means, means for controlling the movement of containers from said conveying means to said receiving means comprising arcuately movable container arresting means normally projecting into the path of container travel on said conveying means and movable from said path by an arrested container, arcuately movable means for positively securing said arresting means in saidprojecting position by engagement therewith, resilient means connecting said arresting means to said securing means and opposing disengagement thereof, and rotatable means adjoining said securing means and adapted to periodically disengage said securing means from said arresting means in timed relationship with presentation of said container receiving means in receiving position to permit movement of a container adjoining said arresting means past said means during said periods of disengagement.

6. In a machine having means for conveying containers and means adapted to receive containers from said conveying means, means for controlling the movement of containers from said conveying means to said receiving means comprising an arcuately movable'gate normally projecting into the path of container travel on said conveying meansand movable from said path by an arrested container, an arcuately movable latch for positively securing said gate in said projecting position by engagement therewith, resilient means connecting said gate to said latch and opposing disengagement thereof, and a rotatable cam adjoining said latch and adapted to periodically disengage said latch from said gate, said cam having a rotatabiy adjustable coupling to a shaft driven in timed relationship with the actuation of said container receivin means, whereby said periods of disengagement of said gate can be accurately timed with presentation of said receiving means in position to receive and latch..

JOHN W. THOMAS. 

